Traffic jams to be expected this Monday near court no. 14 at Roland-Garros. For the start of the qualifications, no less than five French (ten others are engaged this Monday on the other courts) and a former finalist of the tournament (in 2020), Sofia Kenin, also crowned at the Australian Open the same year, will follow one another in this steep-sided arena where the atmosphere can quickly rise in temperature.
It will be necessary to provide supplies in the stands to hold these first racket shots, given from 10 a.m., until the fifth match on the program which will be an opportunity to hear from Lucas Pouille. The former world number 10 (2018), now 670th, recently embarked at the age of 29 on a reconquest operation which involves a first qualifying round against the Czech Tomas Machac (125th).
Marozsan, Karatsev and Hanfmann as scarecrows
Revisiting old acquaintances but also discovering emerging talents is the charm of these accessit tournaments where we will have an eye on a certain Fabian Marozsan (115th), recent surprise faller for Carlos Alcaraz in Rome, opposed Australian Li Tu. The Hungarian is one of the scarecrows to watch this week, along with the Russian comeback Aslan Karatsev, recent semi-finalist in Madrid and seeded No. 1 who will face Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Tuesday, or the German Yannick Hanfmann, also out of qualifying in Rome only to fail in the quarter-finals.
Yannick Hanfmann reached the quarter-finals in Rome. (P. Lahalle/The Team)
But this year ushers in theOpening week which not only allows you to dive into the jungle of qualifications but also to admire the biggest stars of tennis in training, the stands of the Philippe-Chatrier court being, among other things, open to ticket holders for the sum of 20 euros even 10 for those under 25…